My
maternal great, great grandfather, Ellis Fairbanks Davis, was born in
Pascagoula, Jackson County, MS about 1813-14 (his exact birthdate is unknown).
He was about 12 years old when he moved to the Marianna, Jackson County,
Florida area with his father, mother and siblings, from Pascagoula. His
parents, John Walter and Rebecca (Harvey) Davis, had moved to Mississippi from
Effingham County, Georgia in December 1809, and then moved the family again
about 1822 to Jackson County, Florida. On Nov 10, 1824, Walter was listed as
one of the signers ofa Petition to
Congress by the Citizens of Jackson County, Florida, which states that most of
the signers had moved to Jackson County in the early part of 1822. He was also
listed on the property tax records of Jackson County, Florida in 1825. In 1827
Walter and his son, John Davis, bought land in Jackson County, FL located on
the east side of where the town of Marianna now stands(3). Walter was listed as
the Head of Household on the 1830 Federal Census ofJackson Co., FL., but had moved to Franklin County by February
12,1832 where he was appointed as one of two Justices of the Peace by the
Governor. This is the last record on which he was listed, and his wife,
Rebecca, was listed as Head of Household on the 1840 St Joseph, Calhoun Co., Fl
Census, so evidently Walter died sometime in the 1830's.

By 1850 his widow had
married a man named Devaughn and was again a widowliving in the home of her son, John Davis, in Marianna. Ellis moved
back to Jackson County in the early 1850s, where he resided for the remainder
of his life.

Ellis was about 51 years old on 27 September 1864 when the
Battle of Marianna took place during the Civil War. He had already lost one
young son to the War. Walter B., 18 years old, enlisted on 20 March 1862, as a
Private in Captain Richard L. Smith's Company, Cavalry, Marianna Dragoons.
(This company was organized about 15 March 1862, and served as an independent
company until assigned as Company B, 15th Regiment, Confederate Cavalry, about
24 Sept. 1863.) Walter was signed in, mustered and inspected in Jackson County,
Florida, by Col. J. J. Finley, 6th Fla. Regiment, for a period of three years
or the duration of the war. He furnished his own horse, valued at $200, and his
equipment, valued at $30. This third son of Ellis F. and Ruth Davis, was to
serve only a little over three months before he died of disease (not named) at
Camp Jackson on 28 June 1862. His father filed a Claim of Deceased Officers and
Soldiers from Arkansas and Florida for settlement in the Office of the
Confederate States Auditor for the War Department, on 24 August 1863. The
document does not state how much the settlement was for.

Another son, William E. ( "Will" ), not yet 21 years
old, enlisted in the Confederate Army on Aug. 11, 1862, at Merrill's Bridge,
Marianna , Fla. He was signed up by Lt. Joseph C. Dykes for the duration of the
war. He was a Pvt. in Capt. W. J. Robinson's Co. A, 11th Fla. Infantry.
Sometime inlateSeptember, 1864,duringaskirmishatTurkeyRidgebetween

Petersburg and Richmond,
Va., he received a gun shot wound to his left hip. He was admitted to the
General Hospital, Howard's Grove, Richmond, Va. on Oct. 4, 1864, for medical
treatment, (at about the same time that his father, Ellis, was being imprisoned
at Ft. Barrancas in Pensacola). He was released on a 60 day furlough on Oct.
11, 1864, and he went home to Sink Creek, a few miles south of Marianna, Fla.,
and was there when the war ended andwas marked AWOL. He states in his applications for a veteran's pension
in 1909 that he was unable to return to his unit because of the bad conditions
of the railroad, and was advised in December, 1864,when his furlough was up, by Gen. A. B. Montgomery, Commander of
the military Headquarters of the district between the Apalachicola and Choctawhatchee
Rivers, that he should go home and await further orders from Capt. Robinson,
his Company Commander.He states that
he "never received any further orders from said Captain or anyone else at
any time thereafter." He finally received approval for his pension in
1913, but only after successive applications and numerous affadavits attempting
to prove that he was not a deserter. He died on 16 March 1919 of cancer.

One can only imagine the state of mind that Ellis was in when
he answered the call to arms in defense of his home and family, after loosing
one son and not knowing whether or not another was dead or alive in the
fighting in Virginia. Left at home was Laura, 19, John Ellis, 17, Martin, 14
(who was to become my Great grandfather), Frank, 11, and Ellen, 7, with no
mother to care for them in his absence. His first wife, Ruth, had died in 1853,
probably at the birth of Frank in March, or shortly thereafter. He had married
again almost a year later on 2 February 1854, to Elizabeth, daughter of widow,
Abigail Brickhouse. She gave him another daughter, Frances Elexena (called
Ellen), born 20 October 1857. Elizabeth died in 1862, leaving all of the
children completely motherless. So it must have been with very mixed emotions
that Ellis left his children at home alone while he took his old squirrel rifle
and answered the call, which had gone out over the county, for all able bodied
men and boys to report to Marianna to help defend the town from the eminent
raid of Federal soldiers. His brother, Joseph,and his family, lived fairly close by, so we can assume that he helped
to look out for Ellis' children in the absence of their father.

The following account of the battle is an excerpt from The
History of Jackson County, and gives a much better account than this author
is capable of.

The Battle of Marianna

The Battle of Marianna was the most tragic event in the
history of Jackson County, as it is the most memorable. It was not, however, an
engagement of great historic importance, but it was a typical example of the
indomitablespirit of the South, which,
in face of almost insurmount-able odds, had sustained the Confederacy through
the years of the Civil War.

The Federal raid on Marianna did not come as a surprise, but
had been anticipated & feared by Governor Milton for many months. He had
warned the Confederate military authorities, time and time again, of the
defenseless position of West Florida - one of the chief sources of food
supplies and salt remaining to the Confederacy - which had been stripped of its
military strength to bolster the crumbling armies of Lee and Johnston.

In 1864 Marianna was the military headquarters of the district
between the Apalachicola and Choctawhatchee Rivers, under the command of Col.
A. B. Montgomery, who, before the Civil War was a lieutenant in the U. S. Army,
and a Major in the 5th Florida Infantry; wounded at Second Manassas. His troops
at, or near, Marianna, consisted of a small detachment of Confederate Cavalry
of about 300 men, recruited largely from Jackson and neighboring counties. One
company, commanded by Capt. Robert Chisholm, was stationed at Marianna; a
second company, led by Major William H. Milton, was located about 25 miles
south of headquarters; and a third, under Capt. William A. Jeter, was 20 miles
west at Hickory Hill. The Cavalry was used principally for patroling the
district, which was infested by deserters and frequently raided by small
parties of Federals from patrol boats, in an effort to destroy the salt works
on the Gulf coast in the St. Andrews Bay area of Washington County (now in Bay
County).

The Marianna raid was planned by Gen. Alexander Asboth with a
definite objective in view, as shown by the following communi­cation:

Headquarters District of West Florida

Barrancas, September 12, 1364.

Major-General Drake,

Assistant Adjutant-General,

Department of the Gulf:

Major:I have the honor to report that owing to the
information received and forwarded yesterday, under No. 1045, I am to start a
cavalry raid into the northern portion of West Florida. Going up to the Santa
Rosa Island and swimming the horses across the East Pass to the mainland, I
will proceed to Port Washington, and from thence to Marianna and vicinity,
returning via St. Andrews salt works. My object is to capture the isolated
rebel cavalry and infantry in Washington and Jackson Counties, and to liberate
the Union prisoners at Marianna; to collect white and Negro recruits, and to
secure as many horses and mules as possible.

Very Respectfully, your obedient servant,

ASBOTH, Brigadier-General.

About a week before Federal Gen. Alexander Asboth's raiders
appeared inMarianna, news was received
at Confederate headquarters that the Federals had surprised and captured a part
of Capt. Chisholm's cavalry at Eucheeanna in Washington County, and were
advancing toward Marianna. On 26 September, the Yankees were reported to be at
Campbellton, only about 18 miles away, and the long dreaded appearance of
Federal forces in Marianna seemed only a matter of hours away. A call was
immediately sent over the county for all men able to bear arms to report to
Marianna at once. The following morning - the day of the raid - the town was
filled with volunteers, mostly old men and boys, who paraded the streets with
their squirrel guns and old rifles, anxious to fight, and each one was fully
confident that he could "lick a dozen Yankees."

Col. Montgomery left town on the morning of September 27th with
his staff and two companies of cavalry to intercept the Union raiders, but
finding the enemy in greatly superior force, he fell back to Marianna, arriving
about an hour ahead of Asboth's mounted Infantry and cavalry. Col. Montgomery
immediately ordered his troops to retire across the Chipola river bridge to the
comparative safety of the east bank, leaving the town to be defended by the old
men and boys with their antiquated guns, to the best of their ability. This
brought a storm of criticism down on the head of the Confederate com­mander.
Editor Edward J. Judah,publisher of
the West Florida News, wrote, a few days later, that Montgomery's conduct was
"too disgraceful for us to dwell upon."

In the meantime the organization of the volunteer defenders of
Marianna had been hastily perfected. Capt. Jesse J. Norwood was chosen to
command the volunteers, which consisted of members of Norwood's Marianna Guard,
Capt. Henry Robinson's Greenwood Guards, and several members of Capt. A. R.
Godwin's Cavalry Company at Campbellton. The rank and file included boys under
16 & elderly men between 50 and 75 years old, which is the reason these
volunteers were called Norwood's "Cradle to Grave Volunteers." Capt.
Norwood was a 30-year old local attorney who had earlier served in the 5th
Battalion of Florida Cavalry.

The Federal forces consisted of three battalions - the 2nd
Maine Cavalry, Lt. Col. Spaulding in command; one battalion of the 1st Fla.
Cavalry, whowere Confederate
deserters, led by Major Rutkey; and two companies of Negro mounted infantry
from the 56th and 82nd Louisiana regiments. In all about 900 troops, well armed
and under the command of Gen. Asboth, a Hungarian adventurer and soldier of
fortune who had sold his sword to the Yankees.

Capt. Norwood deployed his little army behind trees, fences and
any other cover they could find, along the road from Ely's Corner, (at
Lafayette and Russ streets), east to the Episcopalchurch. The Yankees came into town from the west over the old
Campbellton road and were met at Ely's Corner, with a devastating fire from the
home guards that killed one of the raiders and wounded several others, causing
the front ranks of Federals to wheel and retire in confusion. The enemy's lines
were quickly reformed, however, and led by the Union general himself, they
charged back down the road, two & three abreast, literally running over the
old men and boys, forcing the defenders to retreat to the Episcopal church
yard. Here the defenders encountered a detachment of the enemy that had skirted
the northern part of town as far as the home of Mrs. Edwin Whitehead and then
turned south to outflank the home guards. At this point, an eye-witness
related, the Union troops halted, many dismounting, and appeared to be watching
the church. Soon it was rumored the general (Asboth) had been shot, and in a
few minutes orders came to fire the church and the homes of Mrs. Hunter and Dr.
R. A. Sanders. When the church burst into flames, men were shot down as they
came running out of the building, trying to escape the flames.

Gen. Asboth had been shot and wounded in that first skirmish,
and he was in an ugly mood. He had been told, "there'll be no fight at
Marianna; you'll be welcomed with open arms," and here he had been painfully
wounded, three of his officers killed and there were many casualities among his
troops. He not only ordered the burning of the church, over the protest of one
of his officers, but he also ordered the town sacked and burned and permitted
his blood-thirsty Negroes to shoot and club defenseless prisoners. Someone
interceded and the order to burn the town was counter­manded. Who had
sufficient influence with General Asboth to save Marianna from total
destruction is notknown, but Dr. Burke
said it was a Mr. Moore.

Five of the defenders of Marianna were killed in the church
yard after they had laid down their arms, and their bodies burned beyond all
recognition in the church fire. The victims were Woodbury (Woody) Nickels,
Littleton Myrick, 15th Confederate Cavalry, John Carter, 6th Florida Infantry;
Rev. Frank Allen and Dr. M. A. Butler, bothof Greenwood.

John Davis, Sr., who was 63 years old, had joined the
Volunteers in the defense of their home town, also. He had served as the
captain of a state militia company during the Second Seminole War in 1836 and
was also the original captain of the Jackson Home Guards. He sus­tained a
compound fracture of his thigh during the fighting and fell on the north side
of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. He was probably treated at home and lived
another 11 years before his death on 5 Aug 1875 at 74 years old. . (This was
one Ellis F. Davis’s 5 brothers - BN)

Major Nathan Cutler, 2nd Maine Cavalry, one of the few Yankee
officers with whom the people of Marianna became friendly, told the late John
H. Carter, Sr. in 1916 that the destruction of the church was "a piece of
vandalism, committed by Negro troops by order of General Asboth." The
Major said he did not remember all the circumstances as he was shot from his
saddle about that time, but he afterwards learned that an express order was
given to fire the church. Someone, he stated, from the Federal forces
protested, but the command from the same source was repeated, at which time
kerosene swabs were run up the sides of the building. The flames licked
furiously upward - the whole church stood ablaze - and soon burned to the ground.
Armstrong Purdee, a Negro law­yer, born a slave, was an eye-witness and, years
later, he wrote: "It was fired (the church) on the west side, on the side
of the steeple. I was about 40 steps from the church on the south side of the
road in line with it." All the records of the church were destroyed but
the Bible, which tradition credits Major Cutler with saving, notwithstanding he
was painfully wounded at the time and in no position to do so.

The incident which endeared Major Cutlerto the people of Marianna was his clemency
to the two boys who shot him from his horse, seriously wounding him, and
resulted in his imprison­ment at Andersonville, Georgia, for a time before he
was paroled. He told Mr. Carter the boys "literally peppered me with shot
until I fell from my saddle." One of the boys was Frank Baltzell, 14 years
old, Major Cutler remembered, but he could not recall the name of the other
boy.

There are no official records of the Confederate and Union
casualties in the Battle of Marianna. General Asboth's official re­port
mentions two Union officers killed and six wounded, namely:

Asboth's report is a happy mixture of fact and fiction,
designed to substantiate his claim of a "brilliant victory." He
referred to the rebel cavalry in the front line and the sharp-shooters who had
ambushed his troops, as apurely
fictional force, as the home guards had neither cavalry support nor
sharpshooters. The General further stated, "We captured 81 prisoners of
war, 95 stands of arms, over 200 fine horses, 400 cattle." There was
probably not a single gun used in the defense of Marianna that could be classed
as a military arm, and the number of prisoners was a gross exaggeration. Asboth
also claimed to have captured Brig-Gen. William E. Anderson of the state
militia. This was not, however, General Anderson, but an elderly man of the
same name and initials. (War Department records show General Anderson was
captured and imprisoned).

The Federal General ended his report with the statement.
"I, myself, was also honored by the rebels with two balls; the first in
the face, breaking my cheek bone, and the second fractured my left arm in two
places."Davis Gray, a plantation
owner of Greenwood, was credited with firing the shots that wounded General
Asboth. He escaped across the Chipola River.

Edward J. Judah published in the West Florida News, October 5,
1864, a list of the casualties of the home guards, reporting 9 killed, 16
wounded. and 54 taken prisoner. The article also states, "The Yankee loss
is estimated at about 15 killed, and 40 wounded." The Union wounded, who
survived, were sent to the prison at Andersonville, Georgia. The Federals
carried away all their wounded except six, who were treated at the Post
Hospital, except Major Cutler and Lieutenant Adams, who were taken to the home
of Thomas M. White. The Federals left their dead unburied.

(Some years ago I saw some
graves of Federal soldiers in the cemetary in the town of Marianna with no
names or inscriptions except to identify them as Yankee soldiers - evidently
the towns people buried them after the Yankees left them behind.) (Author)

Among the prisoners taken away by the enemy was Colonel
Montgomeny, commandant of the Marianna post, who is said to have been thrown
from his horse and captured while trying to escape across the Chipola river
bridge. Dr. Robinson and some others did escape to the east bank of the river,
after which the planks of the bridge were removed. Dr. Burke wrote that Col.
Montgomery "was captured at Mr. White's residence, or was soon thereafter
carried there, probably by prearrangement." Among the other prominent
prisoners taken by the Yankees, many were paroled, some escaped, andothers were taken to Ft. Barrancas and later
transferred to Federal prisons in the North. Several died in prison while
others lived to come home after the war and start life anew.

In addition to their prisoners and loot, the Federals carried
back to Ft. Barrancas about 400 Negro women and children. Armstrong Purdee, the
8-year-old slave boy, was picked up by a Union cavalryman at the Waddell
plantation, about 11 miles west of Marianna, and rode into town with him.
Purdee, who later became a prominent Negro lawyer, witnessed the battle and the
burning of the church and was one of the Negroes taken back to Pensacola by the
Federals. He wrote, "The women and children were put in wagons, and the
men and prisoners all walked, until reaching Point Washington. Here the women
and children were put on a steamboat, while the men and soldiers crossed the
Bluff to Ft. Barrancas and Ft. Pickens, I being with them. My father found out
where I was and came after me. We came back by the way of Apalachicola."

The only white man to leave Marianna voluntarily was the telegraph
operator, CharliePhilips,who had turned over to the enemy all the
telegrams that had passed between Major W. H. Milton and Tallahassee, asking
for reinforcements. This information speeded the departure of the
Federals,who pulled out of Marianna
during the night, two days before Col. G. W. Scott arrived with reinforcements.

Editor Judah, in the News on October 5, 1864, told how the
noble women of Marianna opened their homes to the wounded and ad­ministered to
them "with all the attention which can be bestowed by sleepless, untiring,
ministering angels." He reported that Mr. AdamMcNealy and Mr. Solomon Sullivan were being treated at the home
of Mrs. W. J. Armistead, Sr.; Dr. A. F. Blount, at Mrs. W. S. Wilson's; and
young Payton Gwin (printer's devil), at the residence of Mrs. Robert Johnson.
Dr. Burke also spoke in the highest praise of the women of Marianna. "Mrs.
Armistead." he wrote, "threw open her house and told me to bring in
all that it would hold." and the doctor paid tribute to her two daughters,
Misses Sallie and Baker, as well as many other young ladies who came in that
night to aid in caring for the wounded.

Extreme youth and age were equally conspicious in the defense
of Marianna. The teen agers who shared the honors with their older
comrades-in-arms were Charles Nickels, Richard Baltzell and Robert Armistead,
only 15 years old; and Frank Baltzell who had not yet reached his 14th
birthday. They were mere school boys but they fought like veterans. Frank
Baltzell was painfully wounded, taken prisoner, but released. He is said to
have gone to sleep under a bench in the courthouse where the prisoners were
confined, and was overlooked by the Federals in their haste to get out of town.
The other boys were also taken prisoner and carried as far as Vernon, in
Washington County, where they were released. Woody Nickels, 17, was one of the
ten defenders to lose their lives when the Federals raided their home town.

Among the minor engagements of the Civil War there were few, if
any, which surpassed in fierceness the clash between Asboth's Federal raiders
and the Home Guards at Marianna, September 27, 1864. It was a moral, if not an
actual, victory, for the "old men and boys," as the objectives of
Asboth's raid through northwest Florida - the capture of the isolated
Confederate cavalry and the destruc­tion of the St. Andrews salt works - were
never attained because the "rebels" at Marianna did not give up
without a fight.

[End of excerpt.]

Among the prisoners taken away by the Federal troops was my
Great Great Grandfather, Ellis Fairbanks Davis. Copies of his military papers
shows the following:

"Captured at Marianna,
Fla., Sept. 27, 1864, by a portion of the Federal Troops under command of Brig.
Gen. Asboth, on the late raid into the interior of Western Florida.

Remarks: Member of the
Legislature." (I have been unsuccessful in finding any documentation of
him being a member of the FL Legislature - however, his nephew who was named
for him, Ellis Fairbanks Davis, Jr., later became a lawyer and member of the
legislature).

Ellis next appears on The Roll of Prisoners of War at Ft.
Barrancas, Pensacola, Florida, and "forwarded to New Orleans, LA, per
Steamer "Clinton" on Oct 8, 1864." The Roll of Prisoners of War
Received at New Orleans, LA., shows Ellis as arriving there "during the 5
days ending Oct 10, 1864."He
appears again on the roll of prisoners at New Orleans,who were "transferred to Ship Island,
MS on Oct 20, 1864, by order of Maj. Gen. E. R. S. Canby, and received there on
Oct 21st." He next appears on the Roll of Prisoners of War at Ship Island,
Miss., "sent to New York Nov. 5, 1864, by order of Capt. M. R.
Marston." It does not indicate whether the prisoners weresent by ship or train, & it is not known
just what date that Ellis arrived in New York at Elmira Prison, but the
following account of that prison, where so many of the Confederate soldiers
were confined, leaves no doubt that the next several months of his life, and
those of his fellow soldiers, must have been a living hell.

Excerpts from:Civil War Prisons, Kent State University Press,

edited by William B. Hesseltine.

ELMIRA PRISON, NEW YORK

1864 - 1865

THE SHAME OF THE UNION

Elmira was outside of New
York City. It was only there for one year, yet it had the highest death rate,
per capita, of any prison camp North or South. It is a shamful spot on American
history. The the vindictive U.S. commissary-general of prisoners & the
camp's Chief Medical Officer, Col. William Hoffman, bragged in public, that he
had killed more Confederate soldiers then any union soldier in the field. When
a soldier dies in the field, that's war. When he dies this way, it's cold
blooded murder. After the war, the yankees tried their best to keep the whole
incident hidden from the public. They gave the Chief Medical Officer a
promotion in rank and a medal for services rendered. Elmira had a death rate of
24 percent. The mad doctor and everyone associated with Elmira should have been
tried for war Crimes.

Official statistics for the worst six month period
at Elmira:

MonthPrisonersSickDead

September9,480563385

October9,441640276

November8,258666207

December8,401758269

January8,6021,015285

February8,9961,398426

Elmira was on a 30 acre
site, along the banks of the Chemung River. A one acre lagoonof stagnant water, called Foster's Pond,
stood within the walls of the stockade. The lagoon was a backwash from the
river and served as a latrine and garbage dump. Prison buildings were located
on the high northern bank of the pond. The lower southern level, known to flood
easily, later became a hospital area for hundreds of smallpox and diarrhea
victims. Remember Foster's Pond, it will be important later in the story. A
more unsanitary spot could not have been chosen.

Elmira prison camp was
established on May 15th, 1864, when Adjutant General E. D. Townsend reported
several empty barracks could be used to house a large number of
"rebels" recently captured. The buildings were to house as many as
10,000 men.

Two barracks, "built to
comfortably accomodate 3,000 troops without over crowding," had been set
aside for 4,000 prisoners. An additional 1,000 men could be quartered in tents
on surrounding grounds. The Camp Bakery had adequate facilities for feeding
5,000 prisoners. No camp hospital existed, but tents were available for any men
who might become ill. Not until two weeks before the first contingent of
confederate prisoners arrived did Commissary General of Prisons William Hoffman
point out again that as many as 10,000 prisoners might be sent to Elmira.
Preparations were never made for more than 5,000 men. On June 30, 1864, Elmira
was said to be ready to receive prisoners.

Inside the fenced in area
(known as "the pen") stood 35 two-story barracks, each of which
measured 100 by 20 feet. Ceilings were barely high enough to accommodate two
rows of crude bunks along the walls. Unsealed roofs characterized the wooden
buildings. The floorings were of green lumber, without foundations, and had
little resistance to wind and water. Behind the rows of barracks was a group of
buildings converted into a dispensary, adjutant's office and guard rooms. To
their rear, extending to the northern bank of Foster's Pond, were the cook
houses and mess halls. The first group of prisoners to arrive at Elmira quickly
crowded the allotted barracks. Subsequent arrivals lived in "A" tents
scattered around the prison area.

At the time of their
arrival, most prisoners were unaware of one last and deadly factor. Elmira was
located in a region of New York State, where for at least four months of the
year, the weather was bitterly cold. One prisoner from Virginia wrote the compound
was, "An excellent summer prison for southern soldiers, but an excellent
place for them to find their graves in the winter."

The first contingent of
prisoners arrived from New York by train. Prisoners were pleasantly surprised
when sympathetic citizens, at many stops, distributed food and clothing to
them. Yet, wrote one prisoner, "these agreeable incidents were
occasionally diversified by the insults of some sleek non-combatant, whose
valiant soul found congenial occupation in fearful threats of our
indiscriminate massacre, if he could only lay hands on us."

The first group reached
Elmira at 6 am on July 6th and numbered 399 men - one soldier escaped enroute.
The second group arrived early in the morning of July 11th, followed by 502
Confederates the following day. Before departing their earler prison camps, the
prisoners received vaccinations for smallpox. The injections were of poor
qualityvaccines, and seen on many arms
"were great sores, big enough, it seemed, to put your fist in."

On July 15th, an Erie
Railroad train jammed with prisoners, collided with a freight train near the
hamlet of Shohola. Forty-eight prisoners and seventeen guards were killed. 100
prisoners and eighteen guards were injured. The injured prisoners were put in
wagons and transported to Elmira. Several days after the accident the
Confederate prisoners still lay on the floors of the makeshaft hospitals of
Elmira, their wounds still untreated and clothing stuck fast to the dried blood
of cuts and fractures.

By the end of July, 4,424
prisoners were packed in the compound, with another 3,000 enroute. The total
number leaped to 9,600 by mid-August. It took three hours to feed 10,000 men in
shifts of 1,800 at a time. The camp commander complained of the over crowded
conditions, and was told as long as the men got through their breakfast by 11
a.m., and dinner by 6 p.m., nothing more was necessary.

The runoff and sewage going
into Foster's Pond was beginning to have it's effects on the prisoners. It was
getting to be offensive to the nostrils and a danger to the health. One of the
surgeons at the prison stated the case more pointedly. An average of 7,000
prisoners released daily over 2,600 gallons of urine - "highly loaded with
nitrogenous material"- into Foster's Pond. Moreover, he noted, the pond
received the contents of the sinks and garbage of the camp until it became so
offensive that vaults were dug on the banks of the pond for sinks.

Washington was notified as
early as August 17; not until late October was permission received to use
prisoner labor to dig drainage ditches to remove the water and it's rotting
matter. By December the odor was gone, but by then scores of prisoners were down
with disease.

Housing was still a problem
and getting worse. Less then a month after the camp opened, almost 10,000
Confederates were inside it's crowded compound. Tents ran out on August 7; a
new shipment arrived on August 12, but there wasn't enough of them. Hundreds of
half-clothed prisoners had to sleep in the open, many of them without blankets.
Late in November, a Medical Inspector pronounced the barracks to be "of
green lumber, whichis cracking,
spliting, and warping in every direction."

In a feeble effort to lessen
the number of prisoners at Elmira, late in September, Washington issued a
directive that prisoners physically unfit would be exchanged. The order stated
that no Confederates would be shipped southward that were "too feeble to
endure the journey." The Camp Commander was ordered to "have a
careful inspection of the prisoners made by Medical Officers to select those
who shall be transfered."

On October 14, five
Washington Surgeons examined the 1200 prisoners who arrived by train at the
Capitol. Five had died en route; scores of others were reported by one doctor
as being "unable to bear the journey." The physical condition of many
of these men, he added, "was distressing in the extreme, and they should
have never been permitted to leave Elmira." By the time the train halted
at the city point exchange base, forty men were reported dying and another
sixty were reported as being "totally unfit for travel."

Surgeon C.F.H. Campbell
wrote a strong letter to Col. Hoffman: "these men are debilitated from
long sickness to such a degree that it was necessary to carry them in thearms of attendants from the cars to the
ambulances, and one man died in the act of being thus transfered." the
spectacle, he concluded, was "disgraceful to all concerned."

Dispite an outcry that the
deed showed "the grossest indifference on the part of the government"
the Officers responsible for the prisoner transfer remained at their duties.
The episode became one of the major marks against the prison it's occupants had
dubbed "Hellmira."

In the mean time, life at
Elmira had become routine and, in most instances, revolting. Prisoners not
packed in the flimsy barracks swarmed around the yards and vied for space
within the few ragged tents. The first troops designated as guards at Elmira
were Negros who, one Georgia soldier sneered, "had been decoyed north and
Organized into companies and regiments to guard their former masters."
Units of the Veteran Reserve Corps, and New York state troops later became the
provost guard.

Late in July the prisoners underwent
a unique indignity. A group of townspeople erected two observation platforms
immediately outside the prison walls. For the nominal sum of 15 cents,
spectators could observe the prisoners as they endured life inside the
compound.

Initally, one of the more
pressing needs of the prisoners was for clothing. The cry for clothing brought
an instantaneous response from southern families and friends. Yet Col. Eastman
withheld issuance of the clothing until he could get permission for distribution
from Col. Hoffman. The permission came in late August, but only clothing of the
color of gray could be issued. Piles of clothing of other colors were burned.
All but a few coats, shirts and pairs of trousers were destroyed.

Winter struck early at
Elmira. Prisoners lacking blankets and clad in rags collapsed in droves from
exposure. By early December, 1,600 half naked men "entirely destitute of
blankets," stood ankel-deep in snow to answer morning roll call.

In the second week of
December, the federal government issued clothing for 2,000 men to 8,400
confederates then quartered at Elmira. In January, Confederate authorities sent
a shipment of cotton northward under a flag of truce, the proceeds, from the
sale of the cotton, went to purchase clothing for the prisoners.

If insufficient clothing,
inadequate quarters, and the stench of disease-laden Foster's Pond were trying
ordeals for the men, other factors taxed human endurance. High on the list were
food rations. On August 18, in retaliation for the conditions in Southern
prison camps, Col. Hoffman ordered prisoner rations restricted to bread and
water. The results were, by late August, an epidemic of scurvy was in full
force; on September 11, no less then 1,870 cases had been reported. In October
the prisoners received a single small ration of fresh vegetables. Onions and
potatoes, wrote a prison doctor, constituted three of every five rations for
two weeks of that same month; then their distribution stopped. Not until
December was the meager diet of bread and water supplemented with a meat
ration. However, stated Captain Bennet Munger, a prison inspector, the meat was
of such inferior quality that a quarter-beef weighing 92 pounds yielded but 45
1/2 pounds of meat, "when carefully taken off the bone." Men were
dying of starvation at the rate of 25 a day. The prisoners turned to a large
rat population that inhabitated the banks of Foster's Pond. Once, a small dog
followed a wood cart into the compound. The dog was captured and slaughtered,
and it's carcass was hidden in the barrack rafters until dark. The prisoners
were caught in the act of devouring their meal, and arrested by guards.

Close on the heels of the
scurvy epidemic came an even larger outbreak of diarrhea. Moreover, by November
1864, pneumonia had reached plague proportions. A month later dreaded smallpox
came to Elmira and in it's first week struck 140 men and killed ten. Smallpox
was ever-present thereafter.

One prisoner wrote,
"there is not a day that at least twenty men are taken out dead."

Medical treatment of
prisoners from the outset was bad, and it just got worse as time went on. As
early as July 11, 1864 - five days after the arrival of the first group of
prisoners, Surgeon Inspector C.T. Alexander reported, "I found the
sick.... in no way suitably provided for except for shelter; diet not suitable;
some without bedsacks; blankets scarce." On September 21, Ward Assistant
Anthony Keiley wrote in his diary: "as I went over to the first hospital
this morning early, there were 18 dead bodies lying naked on the bare earth.
Eleven more were added to the list by half past eight o'clock." By
November the death toll in the hospitals had reached 755 men. A large portion
of mortalities stemmed from nearby Foster's Pond - which one observer described
as being "green with putrescence, filling the air with its messengers of
disease and death." At the rate of sickness then present, a Doctor
informed Washington, "the entire command will be admitted to the hospital
in less than a year and thirty-six percent will die."

Washington ignored or denied
repeated requisitions for badly needed medicines. An urgent request for straw
on which the sick could lay was ignored. Hoffman turned down repeated requests
to complete the ceilings and roofs on the hospital buildings without any
reasons given.

An official in the U.S.
Sanitary commission was turned down flat when he asked permission to attend to
the sick and dying. By late December at least 70 men were lying on the hospital
floors because of a lack of beds and straw; another 200 diseased and dying men
lay in the regular prisoner quarters because there was no room for them in the
wards. As one guard wrote, "prisoners died as sheep with the Rot." A
federal inspector wrote in October with a sense of relief, "The number of
deaths this week is but 40."

The number of sick and dead
rose sharply at the end of 1864, when prisoners, fighting disease, filth and
starvation, could not weather the bitter cold of a New York winter. The winter
was so severe, and clothing so scarce, that prisoners stood in deep snow with
only rags tied around their frozen and swollen feet to answer morning roll
calls. Late in December, after repeated urgent pleas, Washington sent a few
stoves to Elmira. There were two small stoves for each barracks, and a few for
the men still housed in tents. Prisoners received small wood rations only at 8
am and at 8 pm. During the 12 hour intervals they had to get warm as best they
could. Moreover, with an average of 200 men to a barracks, each stove therefore
was the sole means of warmth for 100 men. Imagine, if you can, the weather 10
to 15 degrees below zero, 100 mentrying to keep warm by one small stove. Each morning the men crawl out
oftheir bunks (those that had bunks)
shivering and half frozen to fight for a place by the warm stove. The sick and
weak were literally left out in the cold.

On the night of March 16,
1865, unusually hard rains caused the Chemung River to over run it's banks.
Federals and Confederates alike hastily assembled crude rafts to evacuate
prisoners from the smallpox hospital in the flats, and they did succeed in
floating most of the sick to safety. Other prisoners crowded the upper stories
of the barracks as icy water rose halfway up the first level. The camp's Col.
Tracy reported jubilantly that the transfer of prisoners to high ground
resulted "with but slightly increased loss of life."

A month later General Lee
surrendered at Appromattox, and the prisoners received much improved treatment,
and were not guarded as closely.

The paroling of Elmira's
prisoners began late in May. Except for those still confined to the hospitals,
the prison camp was vacant on July 5th, and ready for demolition a month later.
The last prisoner, named Kistler, did not leave the hospital and start home
until September 27, 1865.

Elmira's death rate in March
of 1865 was an average of sixteen Confederates a day. Of a total of 12,123
Confederate soldiers imprisoned at Elmira, 2,963 died of sickness, exposure,
and associated causes. Of the survivors who stumbled forth from the stockade,
an eyewitness made the observation; "I speak in all reverence when I say
that I do not believe such a spectacle was seen before on earth... on they
came, a ghastly tide, with skeleton bones and lusterless eyes, and brains
bereft of but one thought, and hearts purged of but one feeling - the thought
of freedom, the love of home."

Today all that remains of
Elmira is a well kept cemetery.

[End of excerpt]

Ellis Fairbanks Davis somehow managed to survive those
inhuman conditions for his 3 months of imprisonment at Elmira and was
transferred for exchange on February 13, 1865. He returned to Jackson County
where he resumed farming and taking care of his family.Family traditions says that he walked almost
all the way home, and since the railroads had almost all been destroyed by the
Union, this story is probably true. Ellis lived another 20 years after his
ordeal, and lived to see his surviving children all married and starting
families of their own.

Will married Delaura Pledger on Dec 24, 1867, and they had 4
sons and 1 daughter.

Martin married Lovest (Lovey) Syrena Cooper on 15 April 1871,
and they had 6 sons and 2 daughters, including Mary Ann Elizabeth, who would
later become my Grandmother Faircloth.

John Ellis married Sara Porter about 1875, and they had 7 sons
and 4 daughters.

Ellen marriedWarren
Frederick Laramore on 25 May 1876, and they had 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Frank marriedJosephine Nixon on 3 Feb. 1877, and they had 9 sons and 3 daughters.

Laura married last, when she was 35 years old, on 28 Feb.
1880, to Jack Tanner. Being the eldest living child and a daughter, it most
likely fell to her to see all of her brothers and one sister through their
childhood and into adulthood. At this point in time, I have no further
information on her, and do not know if she ever had children of her own.

Ellis died on Oct. 10, 1885. At this time, his burial place
remains unknown, but he may be buried in the Pledger Cemetary in Marianna where
several of his descendants are buried.

====================================================

Footnotes:

(1) Before the Civil War, Col. Montgomery was a
lieutenant in the U. S. Army; was a major in 5th Florida Infantry; wounded at
Second Manassas.

(2) These companies were detached from Col. George
W. Scott's 5th Florida Battalion Cavalry, including Companies I, G. and E.

(3) War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Vol.Part 2.

(4) From letter of Dr. Burke now in possession of
Mrs. Ella Lewis Pierce, Mari­anna.

(5) Col. Montgomery's decision was undoubtedly sound
from a military stand­point

(6) Capt. Henry Robinsonwas H. Robinson, surgeon at Marianna post.

(7) Runnymede Hotel, originally the Baltzell
hospital, stands on Ely'scorner at
Lafayette and Russ streets.

(9) From information furnished W. H. Milton by
Armstrong Purdee, a Negro lawyer and eye-witness of burning of Episcopal
church.

(10)Woody Nickels was the 17-year-old son of William
Nickels, an alleged Union­ist, as was John T. Myrick, father of Littleton
Myrick. Myrick was sheriff of Jackson County (1845-7). State Senator
(1854-1856). a Whig, he later joined the"Know-Nothing" party.

(11) Dr. Henry Robinson married Margaret A. Dickson
of Greenwood in 1865; moved to Jacksonville where he became a prominent banker,
serving as presi­dent of the Commercial Bank for 30 years. In Dr. Webster
Merritt's history, "A Century in Medicine," Dr. Henry Robinson is
referred to as one of the promi­nent "Builders of Jacksonville," who
were members of the medical profession.

(12) War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Vol. 25,Part 1.

(13) William E. Anderson served as Brigadier General
of Florida Militia [date of commencement or terrnination unknown]; was elected
Captain of Co. H, 11th Florida Infantry, March 17, 1863; resigned Nov. 27,
1863; private in Marianna Home Guards and captured at Marianna Sept.27, 1864;
imprisoned at New Orleans, Ft. Lafayette, N. Y. Harbor, and Ft. Warren, Mass;
released June 26. 1865, on taking oath of allegiance to U. S. (Letter dated
June 24, 1936, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C.)

(14) Davis Gray of Greenwood is credited with firing
the shots that wounded Asboth.

(15) Dr. Robinson wrote in 1916 that Col.
Montgomery's loyalty could not be questioned.

(16) Charlie Philips was telegraph operator who left
Marianna with the Federals.

(18) Dr. Burke married Elmira McNealy, whom he met
while treating her father, Adam McNealy; they moved to Texas and were pioneers
of Texarkana, Texas.

(19) Frank BaltzeIl is said to have gone to sleep
under a bench in the courthous where the prisoners were confined, and was
overlooked by the Federals in their haste to get out of town.

(20) Robinson's praise of Major Cutler did not
please some members of the UDC and he was asked to eliminate it from his
history of the Marianna raid.

(21) Downloaded from the Civil War BBS - posted by
David Cole & Steve Bowers.

====================================================

Roster of participants sent to Elmira Prison in New
York:

(Data & names in Italics are from the book The
West Florida War by Dale Cox)

Blarney, John J. was a member of the legislature and
was captured at Marianna 9/26/64. He died of pneumonia 12/15/64 at Elmira
prison and was buried in the prison cemetery, grave # 1216.8

Blaney, John.
Fifty years old, Blaney was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New
Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He died at the latter place on December 15,
1864, and was buried in Wood­lawn Cemetery.

Bush, Albert G. Forty-nine years old, Bush was
captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship island and
Elmira. He returned home to his farm after the war.

Bush, Allen Henry. Fifty-five years old, Bush was
the local circuit judge and had been a practicing Marianna attorney since the
early 1840's. Imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira, he returned
home after the war and resumed his law practice. Judge Bush was delegated to
the ill-fated state constitutional conven­tion on October 25, 1865, and was
listed a year later as being friendly to the Carpetbaggers then controlling
local politics.

Davis, Ellis F. (b. 1814 MS; m. [1st]; m. Elizabeth
Brickhouse 2/2/54 [2nd]) came to Jackson Co. in the 1840s and was a successful
farmer before the war. He was a member of the legislature during the war and
was captured 9/26/64 at Marianna as a member of this company. He was sent to
New Orleans then Ship Island prison then onto Elmira prison where he arrived in
November 1864. He was transferred for exchange 2/13/65 and returned to Jackson
County where he resumed farming. According to an ancestor, Ellis had at least
nine children by his two wives. One of his sons, Walter B., served in Captain
Smith's Cavalry Company and died of disease 6/28/62.

Davis, Ellis. A local farmer, Davis was captured
during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira.
Paroled from Elmira during early 1865, he evidently returned home.

Everett, Miles. Captured during the fighting,
Everett was imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He was released
from the latter place on March 2, 1865 and hospitalized in Richmond, Virgin­ia,
until the 14th of May, when he was furloughed and allowed to return home.

Harrison, Samuel was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna
and released on oath 5/29/65 at Elmira prison. He was 5' 7", blue eyes,
auburn hair, fair skin.

Hentz,Thaddeus W. Gamble's Light Artillery. The
30-year old dentist was also a member of a company of state artillery
reservists. Suffering the loss of a finger during the

fighting, he was captured and imprisoned at New Or­leans,
Ship Island and Elmira. Hospitalized during his stay at Elmira, he was released
on March 2, 1865. Again

[ 15 ]

hospitalized at a Confederate hospital in Richmond,
Virginia, until March 14, 1865, he returned home and resumed his dentistry
practice.

Justus, J. B. was a Revolutionary War and War of
1812 veteran. He was a member of the legislature and was captured at Marianna
9/27/64. He was sent to Elmira prison then transferred for exchange 2/20/65. He
was hospitalized in Richmond then furloughed 3/16/65.

Justiss, J. B. Sometimes called "Captain"
Justiss, the volunteer was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New
Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He was exchanged during March of 1865 and
hospitalized at Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond for two weeks before being
released on March 15, 1865.

McBright, Israel does not appear on any rolls but
was released on oath 5/29/65 from Elmira prison. He was 5'7", blue eyes,
dark hair, fair skin.

McBright, Isreal.Background unknown, McBright identified himself as a member of Norwood's
company and was impri­soned at New Orleans, Ship Island and probably Elmira.
His name does not appear on Asboth's p.o.w. list, but does appear on subsequent
Northern prison records. Fate un­known.

Merritt, Alexander S. was captured defending
Marianna 9/27/64 and paroled at Elmira prison 12/12/64. He was 5'9", dark
eyes, black hair, fair skin. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

Merritt, Alex S. A 32-year old local merchant,
Merritt was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship
Island and Elmira. He was released from Elmira on December 12,1864, and
returned home.

Morning, E. W. was a member of the legislature and
was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He was sent to Fort Columbus prison
and was released from prison after the war.

Mooring, Edwin W. Thirty-six years old, Mooring was
a local merchant and whiskey distiller. Captured, he was imprisoned at New Or­leans,
Ship island and Elmira. At the latter facility he was listed as an
"adjutant." Eventually released, he returned home after the war.

Myrick, John T., Jr. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

Myrick, J. T., Jr. Sixteen years old, Myrick was captured
during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira.
Released from the latter place on May 29,1865, he returned home. A bitter
advocate of Reconstruction, despite his father's Unionist attitudes, he was
convicted in October, 1869, for killing local black leader Matt Nichols, his
wife and son. He was also charged with assault and battery in connection

with another crime and accused of ambushing a party
of freed slaves near Blue Spring.

He fled the county and eventually showed up in
Texas.

O'Neal, James was a member of the legislature. He
was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64 and died of pneumonia 3/5/65 at Elmira
prison. He was buried in the prison cemetery, grave #2387.

O'Neal, James (Daniel). Fifty-one years old, O'Neal
was captured during the fighting and

[ 16 ]

imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira.
Listed "too sick" to be paroled on

February 13, 1865, he died on the 5th of March at
Elmira and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Pittman, Frederick R. A private in the 11th Florida
Infantry, Plttman was home on leave and volunteered for service. Fifty-one
years old, he was captured during the battle and imprisoned at New Orleans,
Ship Island and Elmira. The former Whig politician was released from the latter
establishment on December 12, 1864.

Roulhac, James B. was a member of the legislature
and was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He was paroled 12/12/64 at Elmira
priosn and was 5'9.5", grey eyes, dark hair, light skin, residence:
Marianna.

Tucker, Charles lived in Quincy and was a member of
the legislature. He was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He died of
diarrhoea 12/11/64 at Elmira prison and was buried in the prison cemetery,
grave 1107.18

Tucker, Charles (of Quincy). Captured during the
fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship island and Elmira, he died at the
latter place on December 11, 1864, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Captain Jesse J. Norwood (b. 1834; m. [before war])
was a state senator representing the 6th District from 1862 to 1864. He was
captured in defense of Marianna 9/27/64. He was released on oath 2/12/65 from
Fort Warren, MA. A contemporary historian described him as a well-known
Unionist. Occupation: lawyer. 2

[Norwood, Jesse J., Captain. A 30-year old local
attorney, Norwood had earlier served in the 5th Battalion of Florida Cavalry.
He re­signed to seek the office of state senator and wascaptured at Marianna while commanding a
company of local volunteers. Impri­soned In Union P.O.W. camps at, New Orleans,
Fort Lafayette and Fort Warren, he was paroled from the latter place on
February 12, 1865. There is no evidence that he ever returned home. Norwood
left behind a wife and 3 children.]

[Staley, Christian J., Lieutenant. Fifty-three years
old, Staley was cap­tured during the

Battle of Marlanna and Imprisoned at New Orleans,
Fort Lafayette and Fort Warren. He was paroled from the latter place on
February 12, 1865, and evldently returned home.]

Privates:

Abercrombie, P. was captured in defense of Marianna.

[Abercrombie, William A. Sixty-four years old,
Abercrombie was cap­tured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans and
Ship Island. He died at the latter place on

[ 18 ]

November 4, 1864, from chronnic diarrhea and was
buried in Grave Number 11.]

Alderman, B. G. was captured in defense of Marianna
and paroled. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

[Alderman, B. G. A Marianna merchant prior to 1848
and known Cali­fornia gold miner In 1849, Alderman was also a suretor for the
construction of the 1850 Marianna court-house in which he was briefly
imprisoned after the battle. He was paroled by the Federals in Marianna,
probably due to Unionist sentiments.]

Alstead, John was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna and
sent to Ship Island Prison.

Anderson, Isaac was captured in defense of Marianna
and paroled.

Anderson, Isaac. Captured during the fighting,
Anderson was paroled by the Federals before they left Marianna.

Anderson, William E. was captured in defense of
Marianna.

Anderson, William E. Forty-one years old, Anderson
was a Brigadier General in the Florida militia before the war. He led the First
Bri­gade during the little-known Calhoun County "Abolition War" of
September-October, 1860, in which 27 local citizens were taken prisoner.
Captured during the Battle of Marianna, he identified himself as a
"brigadier general" and was imprisoned with other officers at New
Orleans, Fort Lafayette and Fort Warren. He was released from the latter place
on June 26, 1865, after signing an affidavit verifying that he had never held
the rank of brigadier general in the service of the Confederacy. He later held
the post of County Judge.

Armistead, L. T. was captured in defense of
Marianna.

Armistead, Robert was captured in defense of
Marianna. He was later released at Vernon.

Armistead, Robert. Fifteen-years old, Armistead was
captured during the fighting and released the following afternoon at Vernon.

Austin, J. was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna and died
of dysentery 1/1/65 at Ship Island prison. He was buried in the prison cemetery,
grave #126.

Balson, F. W. was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna and
was sent to Ship Island prison. He was transferred to Vicksburg 5/1/65.

Baltzell, F. was wounded and captured in defense of
Marianna.

BaltzeII, Franklin. The youngest known participant,
13-year old Frank BaltzelI was credited with firing the shots that wounded
Major Nathan Cutler. Taken prisoner, he was held overnight and released the
next afternoon at Vernon. He later became the editor of the Marianna Courier, a
position which he retained until 1873 when he moved to Alabama. There he
continued his journalism career and emerged as a leader of the
"Populist" movement.

Baltzell, R. was captured in defense of Marianna. He
was probably a member of the 2nd Florida. He may have been on leave when the
Yankees threatened Marianna.

Baltzeil, Richard. Fifteen years old, Baltzell was
captured during the fighting but released at Vernon on the following afternoon.

Baltzell, Thomas W. Fifteen-years old, BaltzelI
sustained a finger wound during the fighting and was taken prisoner. Imprisoned
at New Orleans and Ship Island, he was too sick to leave the latter
establishment when most of the Marianna captives were shipped out for New York
on November 5, 1864. He remained on Ship Island until May 1, 1865, when he was
transferred to Vicksburg, Miss. and released on May 5.

Bassett, Henry 0. The captain of Company E., 6th
Florida Infantry, Bassett was home on leave and volunteered for service. A
former Jackson County Sheriff, the 39-year old captain was killed by bayonet
wounds on the banks of Stage Creek.

Blarney, John J. was a member of the legislature and
was captured at Marianna 9/26/64. He died of pneumonia 12/15/64 at Elmira
prison and was buried in the prison cemetery, grave 1216.8

Blaney, John. Fifty years old, Blaney was captured
during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He
died at the latter place on December 15, 1864, and was buried in Wood­lawn
Cemetery.

Blount, A. F., Lieutenant. A 44-year old local
physician, Blount sus­taind a severe shoulder wound during the engagement and
was taken to the home of Dr. W. S. Wilson for treatment. He eventually
recovered.

Burke, C. C., Dr. appears on Judge Liddon's list.

Bush, Albert G. Forty-nine years old, Bush was
captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship island and
Elmira. He returned home to his farm after

[ 23]

the war.

Bush, Allen Henry. Fifty-five years old, Bush was
the local circuit judge and had been a practicing Marianna attorney since the
early 1840's. Imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship

Island and Elmira, he returned home after the war
and resumed his law practice. Judge Bush was delegated to the ill-fated state
constitutional conven­tion on October 25, 1865, and was listed a year later as
being friendly to the Carpetbaggers then controlling local politics.

Bush, Richard. A 60-year old local minister, Bush
was captured during the fighting but paroled by the Federals before they left
Marianna.

Brett, James H. The town constable, Brett was a
52-year old Mexican War veteran. The original first lieutenant of the defunct
Jackson Guards, he sustained a severe bullet wound which tore the muscle from
his left forearm and he died a short while afterwards. He was also reportedly
clubbed to the head with a rifle butt.

Carter, John was killed defending Marianna 9/27/64.
"The family of John Carter, CSA, probably one of the wounded
convalescents, found his charred body in the burned-out church.

Carter, John C. A private in Company E., 6th Florida
Infantry, Carter was given a medical discharge after being wounded at Chickamau­ka,
but volunteered for service. Twenty-two years old, he was killed in the
fighting and his body burned in St. Luke's Church.

Chason, John was a member of the legislature and was
wounded and captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He was sent to Ship Island
prison where he died of dysentery 12/19/64. He was buried in the prison
cemetery, grave #99

Chason, John. A 57-year old farmer, Chason sustained
a neck wound during the fighting and was taken prisoner. He was confined at New
Orleans and Ship Island, dying at the latter place of dysentary on December 19,
1864. He was buried in Grave Number 99.

Dann, T. W. A local physician, Dann was captured
during the fighting and paroled by the Federals before they left Marianna.
According to legend, he then disappeared and did not return until after the
war.

Davis, Ellis F. (b. 1814 MS; m. [1st]; m. Elizabeth
Brickhouse 2/2/54 [2nd]) came to Jackson Co. in the 1840s and was a successful
farmer before the war. He was a member of the legislature during the war and
was captured 9/26/64 at Marianna as a member of this company. He was sent to
New Orleans then Ship Island prison then onto Elmira prison where he arrived in
November 1864. He was transferred for exchange 2/13/65 and returned to Jackson
County where he resumed farming. According to an ancestor, Ellis had at least
nine children by his two wives. One of his sons, Walter B., served in Captain
Smith's Cavalry Company and died of disease 6/28/62.

Davis, Ellis. A local farmer, Davis was captured during
the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. Paroled
from Elmira during early 1865, he evidently returned home.

[ 24]

Davis, John, Sr. Sixty-three years old, Davis had
served as the captain of a state militia company during the Second Seminole War
(1836) and was also the original captain of the Jackson Guards. He sus­tained a
compound fracture of his thigh during the fighting and fell on the north side
of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. He was probably treated at

Dickson, Marmaduke, Sr. A 53-year old Greenwood
resident, Dickson was active in Whig party politics before the war. Severely
wounded during the battle, he died a few hours afterward--probably at the home
of R. S. Dickson.

Dixon, John J. was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna and
died of diarrhoea 12/16/64 in a General Hospital, Fort Columbus, New York. He
is buried in grave #2303 N.C., possibly in Cypress Hills National Cemetery,
Brooklyn NY. "

Dunn, T. W. was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64
and was paroled.

Dykes, Jacob was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64
and escaped from his captors. He was a

member of the 15th Florida Cavalry.

Ely, Horace. A local physician, merchant and hotel
keeper, Ely was accused of selling liquor to slaves. He was also the
construction contractor for the 1850 courthouse. Captured during the fighting,
he was paroled by the Federals before they left Marianna.

Everett, Miles. Captured during the fighting,
Everett was imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He was released
from the latter place on March 2, 1865 and hospitalized in Richmond, Virgin­ia,
until the 14th of May, when he was furloughed and allowed to return home.

Farley, F.M. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64.

Farley, William A. Forty-four years old, Farley was
captured during the fighting and freed by Captain Poe's men.

Gammon, Samuel B. was a member of the legislature
and was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He died of typhoid 12/8/64 at Ship
Island prison and was buried in the prison cemetery, grave #72.

Gammon, Samuel B. A 56-year old farmer, Gammon was
captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans and Ship Island. He
died at the latter place from typhoid on December 8, 1864, and was buried in
Grave Number 72.

Gautier, Thomas N. The 32-year old owner of a
Marianna mercantile firm and a leather tannery at Oak Hill, Gautier was captured
during the fighting but was freed by Captain Poe's men before the end of the
engagement.

Gwin, Peyton was wounded and captured defending
Marianna 9/27/64.

Gwin, Peyton. A teenage employee of the West Florida
News, Gwin suffered a severe blow to the head and was treated at the home of
Robert Johnson.

[ 25]

Harrison, Samuel was captured 9/27/64 at Marianna
and released on oath 5/29/65 at Elmira prison. He was 5'7", blue eyes,
auburn hair, fair skin.

Harrison, Samuel (William). Background unknown, Harrison
identified himself as a

member of Norwood's company and was captured during
the battle and imprisoned afterwards. His name does not appear on Asboth's
p.o.w. list. Fate unknown.

Hatsfleld, John W. was a member of the legislature
and was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He died of pneumonia 2/18/65 at a
US General Hospital at Fort Columbus NY and was buried in a local cemetery,
grave #2303 N.C., possibly in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn NY. 12

Hartsfield, John W. Captured during the battle,
Hartsfield was impri­soned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Fort Columbus, dying
at the latter place on February 15, 1865, of diarrhea. He was buried in the
Cypress Hill National Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Hentz, Thaddeus W., Dr., See Gamble's Light
Artillery.

Hentz,Thaddeus W. Gamble's Light Artillery. The
30-year old dentist was also a member of a company of state artillery
reservists. Suffering the loss of a finger during the fighting, he was captured
and imprisoned at New Or­leans, Ship Island and Elmira. Hospitalized during his
stay at Elmira, he was released on March 2, 1865. Again hospitalized at a
Confederate hospital in Richmond, Virginia, until March 14, 1865, he returned
home and resumed his dentistry practice.

Justus, J. B. was a Revolutionary War and War of
1812 veteran. He was a member of the legislature and was captured at Marianna
9/27/64. He was sent to Elmira prison then transferred for exchange 2/20/65. He
was hospitalized in Richmond then furloughed 3/16/65.

Justiss, J. B. Sometimes called "Captain"
Justiss, the volunteer was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New
Orleans, Ship Island and Elmira. He was exchanged during March of 1865 and
hospitalized at Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond for two weeks before being
released on March 15, 1865.

Lawrence, Richard C. B. Forty-two years old,
Reverend Lawrence was the brother-in-law of Dr. Thaddeus Hentz. He sustained a
bullet through the fleshy part of his thigh during the fighting and took refuge
in the blacksmith shop behind St. Luke's Church. Rescued by his daughter and
several others, with the help of a Union ser­geant, he was

[ 26 ]

taken to his home on what is now West Lafayette
Street where he eventually recovered.

Lewis, Arthur, Sr. Fifty-eight years old, the former
merchant was severely wounded during the battle and died at his home on
September 29, 1864.

Long, Felix H. G. was a member of the legislature.
He was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64 and sent to Fort Columbus prison. He
was paroled 12/14/64 and released.

Long, Felix H. G. A local planter, the 47 year old
Long was a private in the 11th Florida Infantry, but was home on leave and
volunteered for service. Captured during the fighting, he was imprisoned at New
Orleans, Ship Island and Fort Lafayette, where he suffered a stroke before
being released on December 14, 1864.

Long, Nicholas A., Dr. was captured defending
Marianna 9/27/64. He was paroled 12/14/64 and released at Fort Columbus prison,
New York Harbor.

Long, Nicholas A. A local physician and planter, the
49-year old Long was a first lieutenant in a local militia company during the
Second Seminole War. Active in Whig politics, he had been elected to the
Florida legislature in 1849 and had served as a delegate to the National Whig
Convention the year before. A private in the 11th Florida Infantry, he was home
on leave and volunteered for service. Captured during the fighting, he was
imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Fort Lafayette. He was released from
the latter place on December 14,1864, and returned home.

McBright, Israel does not appear on any rolls but
was released on oath 5/29/65 from Elmira prison. He was 5'7", blue eyes,
dark hair, fair skin.

McBright, Isreal.Background unknown, McBright identified himself as a member of Norwood's
company and was impri­soned at New Orleans, Ship Island and probably Elmira.
His name does not appear on Asboth's p.o.w. list, but does appear on subsequent
Northern prison records. Fate un­known.

McNealy, Adam. Forty-seven years old, McNealy was a
Jackson County Commissioner at the time of the battle. He was active in the
Greenwood Baptist Church before being excluded because he "does not
believe in the Eternal punishment." He was also a dele­gate to the Florida
Secession Convention. Struck to the head and shot through the lung during the
battle, McNealy was taken to the home of Mrs. Mary Armistead for treatment and
eventually recov­ered. In 1869 he urged the governor not to send troops to
racially-torn Jackson County. He also served on the local school board during
the post-war years.

Mathews, Wm. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64.

Merritt, Alexander S. was captured defending
Marianna 9/27/64 and paroled at Elmira prison 12/12/64. He was 5'9", dark
eyes, black hair, fair skin. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

[ 27 ]

Merritt, Alex S. A 32-year old local merchant,
Merritt was captured during the fighting

and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and
Elmira. He was released from Elmira on December 12,1864, and returned home.

Montgomery, A. B. was a Colonel and was captured
defending Marianna 9/27/64.

Moore, C. R. was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64
but escaped from his captors. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

Morning, E. W. was a member of the legislature and
was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He was sent to Fort Columbus prison
and was released from prison after the war.

Mooring, Edwin W. Thirty-six years old, Mooring was
a local merchant and whiskey distiller. Captured, he was imprisoned at New Or­leans,
Ship island and Elmira. At the latter facility he was listed as an
"adjutant." Eventually released, he returned home after the war.

Myrick, John T., Sr. A former state senator, Myrick
was a prominent local merchant and educator. He served on the Board of Trustees
of the Marianna Male and Female Academy in 1851 and helped lead former governer
Richard Keith Call's Unionist effort in 1860. The Confederate government later
obtained judgements against him. He was known to have been in contact with
Union military forces during at least January of 1864. Captured following the
battle, he was paroled at Marianna by the Federals.

Myrick, John T., Jr. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64. He was believed to have been a Unionist.

Myrick, J. T., Jr. Sixteen years old, Myrick was
captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and
Elmira. Released from the latter place on May 29,1865, he returned home. A bitter
advocate of Reconstruction, despite his father's Unionist attitudes, he was
convicted in October, 1869, for killing local black leader Matt Nichols, his
wife and son. He was also charged with assault and battery in connection with
another crime and accused of ambushing a party of freed slaves near Blue
Spring. He fled the county and eventually showed up in Texas.

Myrick, Littleton was killed defending Marianna
9/27/64.

[ 28 ]

Nickels, Chas. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64 and released at Vernon.

Nickels, Charles. Fourteen years old, Nickels was
captured during the fighting and held overnight. He was released the next
afternoon at Vernon and allowed to walk back home.

Nickels, William. Sixty-four years old, Nickels was
a prominent local merchant and hotel keeper. An 1851 Trustee of the Marianna
Academy, he was rumored to have been in contact with Federal military forces
during the course of the war. Captured during the battle, he was paroled before
the Federals left town.

Nickels, Woodbury was killed defending Marianna
9/27/64. He was killed after the surrender and his body was found in the
church.

Nickels, Woodbury "Woody." Sixteen years
old, Nickels was the son of Marianna Unionist and businessman William Nickels.
He was the youngest Confederate killed during the fighting.

Norton, E. B. A local minister, Norton escaped
following the end of the battle.

O'Neal, James was a member of the legislature. He
was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64 and died of pneumonia 3/5/65 at Elmira
prison. He was buried in the prison cemetery, grave #2387.

O'Neal, James (Daniel). Fifty-one years old, O'Neal
was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and
Elmira. Listed "too sick" to be paroled on February 13, 1865, he died
on the 5th of March at Elmira and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Pittman, Frederick R. A private in the 11th Florida
Infantry, Plttman was home on leave and volunteered for service. Fifty-one
years old, he was captured during the battle and imprisoned at New Orleans,
Ship Island and Elmira. The former Whig politician was released from the latter
establishment on December 12, 1864.

Quinn, Peter was wounded and captured defending
Marianna 9/27/64.

Robinson, Henry, Dr., was an Asst. Surgeon and
appears on Judge Liddon's list of soldiers who defended Marianna 9/27/64.

Roulhac, James B. was a member of the legislature
and was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He was paroled 12/12/64 at Elmira
priosn and was 5'9.5", grey eyes, dark hair, light skin, residence:
Marianna.

Rostrum, Oliver. Identified by tradition as a
participant, Rostrum was a local tailor. He evidently escaped following the
battle.

Rouse, John appears on Judge Liddon's list of
soldiers who defended Marianna 9/27/64.

Tucker, Charles lived in Quincy and was a member of
the legislature. He was captured defending Marianna 9/27/64. He died of
diarrhoea 12/11/64 at Elmira prison and was buried in the prison cemetery,
grave 1107.18

Tucker, Charles (of Quincy). Captured during the
fighting and imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship island and Elmira, he died at the
latter place on December 11, 1864,, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Tucker, Charles (of Marianna). Captured during the
fighting, Tucker was paroled by the Federals before they left Marianna.

Watson, Hinson J. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64.

Watson, Hinton J. An owner of the Marianna
mercantile firm of H. J. Watson & Company, Watson had been indicted in 1858
for selling liquor without a license. Captured during the battle, he was pa­roled
by the Federals before they left Marianna. His business collapsed due to
post-war conditions in 1866. He was later elected to the Florida House of
Representatives.

Whitehurst, J. B. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64. He died of consumption 10/25/64 at Ship Island MS and was buried in a
local cemetery, grave #4.

Whitehurst, John B. The local Justice of the Peace,
40-year old Whitehurst was captured during the fighting and imprisoned at New
Orleans and Ship Island. He died at the latter place on October 25, 1864, less
than a month after the battle, from "Consumption." He was buried in
Grave Number 4.

Wilson, W. S. A physician, Wilson arrived in
Marianna during the 1840's and formed a partnership with Dr. William H.
Whitehead in 1857. Although he participated in the fighting, he was able to
elude capture and assisted tremendously in caring for the wounded afterward.

Wynn, William B. was captured defending Marianna
9/27/64 and died 12/21/64 at Fort Columbus prison NY. He was buried in the
prison cemetery, grave #2194.

Wynn, William B. Captured during the fighting, Wynn
was imprisoned at New Orleans, Ship Island and Fort Columbus. He died at the
latter establishment on December 21, 1864, and was buried in the Cypress Hill
National Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.